Chesapeake bay retriever

The Chesapeake Bay retriever or chessie as it is more commonly and affectionately called is a powerful well-muscled retriever with a short slightly wavy coat which is usually in shades varying from red, tan, brown to a deep brownish color with reddish overtones.

The dog’s coat is oily to repel water as the dog loves to swim and the coat consists of two layers, a harsh outer coat and a dense under coat, they are a very friendly and intelligent breed of retriever.

The chassis as a pet

While the chassis is very obedient and ready to please their master they do also tend to have a mind of their own but they do make good pets and are very loving and affectionate especially around children.

However they are not a breed for the beginner to dogs with the Labrador retriever or golden retriever being much easier to handle.

The chassis owner should be firm and confident as the dog will at times have a stubborn streak, they are a little slower to learn than are other retriever breeds but they do learn and need to be taught obedience from a very early age.

As a young puppy they will need a lot of time and patience spent on them and a kind but firm constant approach is needed, they will socialize well if taught from a very early age and will get on with other pets brought up with them.

The chassis can be very reserved when around strangers and can be more aggressive than other retriever breeds and they do have a tendency to be more territorial.

Care of the Chesapeake Bay retriever

The short dense, harsh coat of the chassis is relatively easy to care for and can be brushed with a firm bristle brush; the breed has an oily texture to the coat so you should be careful not to bath them too often as this will strip the oil from the coat.

The same as all of the retriever family the chassis is prone to hip dysplasia and also eye problems.

The chassis will become bored very easily if it doesn’t get enough exercise and if it becomes bored it can become destructive particularly if left alone for long periods of time.

This retriever loves to swim and you should allow it to do so at every opportunity, it also likes to hunt and is in its element searching out items that you have hid.